Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden

Sweden: Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled was 163,029 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
163,029 people
Change on year
down 31.4%
World rank
38th
of 183 countries
All-time high
277,726 people
in 2022
All-time low
17,000 people
in 1968
Years of data
74
1951–2024

Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden, 1951–2024

0100.0k200.0k300.0k195119872024

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people.

Analysis

Sweden recorded 163,029 people for refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in 2024.

That represents a change of down 31.4% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden peaked at 277,726 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 17,000 people, in 1968.

Sweden ranks 38th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden, 1951 to 2024.
Year people Change
1951 44,000 people —
1952 42,000 people -4.5%
1953 37,000 people -11.9%
1954 33,000 people -10.8%
1955 28,000 people -15.2%
1956 31,000 people +10.7%
1957 33,000 people +6.5%
1958 31,000 people -6.1%
1959 28,000 people -9.7%
1960 26,000 people -7.1%
1961 26,000 people +0.0%
1962 26,000 people +0.0%
1963 26,000 people +0.0%
1964 24,000 people -7.7%
1965 22,000 people -8.3%
1966 20,000 people -9.1%
1967 18,000 people -10.0%
1968 17,000 people -5.6%
1969 17,000 people +0.0%
1970 20,000 people +17.6%
1971 20,000 people +0.0%
1972 20,000 people +0.0%
1973 20,000 people +0.0%
1974 20,000 people +0.0%
1975 20,000 people +0.0%
1976 20,000 people +0.0%
1977 20,000 people +0.0%
1978 20,000 people +0.0%
1979 20,000 people +0.0%
1980 20,000 people +0.0%
1981 20,000 people +0.0%
1982 20,000 people +0.0%
1983 43,000 people +115.0%
1984 90,600 people +110.7%
1985 90,600 people +0.0%
1986 120,000 people +32.5%
1987 130,000 people +8.3%
1988 139,783 people +7.5%
1989 139,783 people +0.0%
1990 109,654 people -21.6%
1991 124,457 people +13.5%
1992 131,069 people +5.3%
1993 162,386 people +23.9%
1994 200,774 people +23.6%
1995 199,194 people -0.8%
1996 191,159 people -4.0%
1997 186,719 people -2.3%
1998 178,782 people -4.3%
1999 159,504 people -10.8%
2000 157,206 people -1.4%
2001 146,480 people -6.8%
2002 142,170 people -2.9%
2003 112,143 people -21.1%
2004 73,383 people -34.6%
2005 74,889 people +2.1%
2006 79,895 people +6.7%
2007 75,055 people -6.1%
2008 77,016 people +2.6%
2009 81,346 people +5.6%
2010 82,620 people +1.6%
2011 86,603 people +4.8%
2012 92,869 people +7.2%
2013 114,172 people +22.9%
2014 142,197 people +24.5%
2015 169,516 people +19.2%
2016 230,158 people +35.8%
2017 240,954 people +4.7%
2018 248,210 people +3.0%
2019 253,787 people +2.2%
2020 248,372 people -2.1%
2021 240,854 people -3.0%
2022 277,726 people +15.3%
2023 237,632 people -14.4%
2024 163,029 people -31.4%

Sweden compared with similar countries

  • Sweden's 163,029 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 16.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
  • Sweden's 163,029 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68,603 people, 2.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1983 +115.0% 20,000 people 43,000 people
1984 +110.7% 43,000 people 90,600 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 34,111 people 28,000 people 44,000 people 9
1960s 22,200 people 17,000 people 26,000 people 10
1970s 20,000 people 20,000 people 20,000 people 10
1980s 81,377 people 20,000 people 139,783 people 10
1990s 164,370 people 109,654 people 200,774 people 10
2000s 101,958 people 73,383 people 157,206 people 10
2010s 166,109 people 82,620 people 253,787 people 10
2020s 233,523 people 163,029 people 277,726 people 5

Countries ranked near Sweden

  1. 35 Belgium 183,551 people compare
  2. 36 Algeria 183,368 people compare
  3. 37 Tanzania 176,859 people compare
  4. 39 Mauritania 155,193 people compare
  5. 40 Mexico 150,836 people compare
  6. 41 Armenia 144,379 people compare

See the full ranking of 183 places →

More reference data data for Sweden

All data for Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden?
Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden was 163,029 people in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled recorded in Sweden?
The highest recorded value was 277,726 people in 2022.
What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled recorded in Sweden?
The lowest recorded value was 17,000 people in 1968.
How does Sweden rank for refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled?
Sweden ranks 38th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
Is refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled rising or falling in Sweden?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sweden data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Sweden. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/refugees-by-country-of-asylum-gaps-filled/sweden/

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How this figure is calculated

Refugees by country of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled
Unit
people
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
183 places, 7,634 data points, 1951–2024
Last refreshed

Refugees by country of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.